Match Report | Combined Southern Regional Men's side down Wales Dragonhearts to secure maiden victory

The Combined Southern Regions shocked their hosts, Wales Dragonhearts, by securing a memorable 30-16 victory at The Gnoll, Neath, the home of Welsh Rugby League.

Playing only their second competitive fixture, the Combined Southern Regions side recovered from a disastrous start to overcome their hosts through a combination of solid defence, scintillating wide play and a steely determination to showcase the enormous potential of community players across the South of England.

The Combined Southern Regions team was established earlier this year to provide representative rugby for League players outside the North of England, with places in the squad based on performances at the Southern Regional Carnival – an annual one-day tournament featuring sides made up of players based in the Midlands, London and the East of England. It is part of a push from those within the community game in the region to enhance the performance pathway and provide further opportunities to players to test themselves against quality opposition.

Wales Dragonhearts went into the game on the back of a gritty 10-all draw with Scotland A at Leigh East and were looking to put on a show for a typically passionate and vocal home crowd in Neath. Having beaten the South of England Lionhearts, the predecessor of the Combined Southern Regions, 26-20 back in 2019 – their last game against a side from across the Severn Bridge – the Dragonhearts were confident of extending this unbeaten streak.

In contrast, the Combined Southern Regions tasted defeat in their first competitive outing, succumbing to a late 24-16 loss to a talent-packed Australia & New Zealand Exiles side at Wasps FC, Acton, the weekend before.

The Dragonhearts pre-match confidence looked to be justified when they almost opened the scoring after just three minutes. When Combined Southern Regions fullback Callum Whitcombe fumbled a high kick, Llloyd Allen scooped up the ball and dived over. On the intervention of the touch judges, the try was correctly ruled out for an infringement in the build-up.

The Combined Southern Regions responded positively, finding space down Wales’ right flank. With the try line within sight, Dom Aston’s offload was intercepted by Aberavon Fighting Irish scrum half Elli Evans – a late call-up by Dragonhearts head coach Simon Reynolds. Evans sprinted 60 metres before touching down, with halfback partner Sean Waldeck calmly slotting over the conversion.

Enter Eastern Rhinos flier David Bofenda, whose pace and poise helped turn the game in favour of the Combined Southern Regions. On 18 minutes, Bofenda broke clear after rapid passing play from Luke Drummond and Tyler Johnson-Thomas, before calmly passing inside to centre Andy Prosser. The Oxford Cavaliers player duly finished off the try, with Dan Robinson’s attempted conversion attempt bouncing back off the posts.

Five minutes later, the same combination set Bofenda away once more, with the talented winger again feeding a support runner inside – this time full back Callum Whitcombe. He finished off the move by diving over to the left of the posts, with Robinson adding the extras.

Then, with four minutes of the first half remaining, Bofenda grabbed a deserved try of his own, sprinting away from 40 metres out to touch down in the left corner after another speedy passing move. Robinson’s impressive touchline conversion put the Combined Southern Regions 16-6 up.

Stung and desperate for a response before the break, the Dragonhearts tried something funky with the resultant kick-off and were first to the bobbling grubber kick. After working their way deep into Combined Southern Regions territory, the Dragonhearts were awarded an additional set of six. It offered substitute Owen Evans the opportunity to scamper over between the sticks on the stroke of half time. Waldeck once again converted, reducing the arrears to four points at the interval.

The Dragonhearts enjoyed a spell of pressure deep in Combined Southern Regions territory early in the second period, but strong defence kept them at bay. Working their way down to the other end of the field through strong running, the Combined Southern Regions once more worked the ball to their right. This time, impressive Wests Warriors’ second-rower Tyler Johnson-Thomas broke the line and jogged away to score. Johnson-Thomas was later named Combined Southern Regions ‘player of the series’ for his eye-catching performances against the Exiles and Dragonhearts.

While Robinson couldn’t convert, the lead stood at eight points – meaning the Dragonhearts would need at least two scores to snatch victory. In the end, it was the Combined Southern Regions who got stronger as the game progressed. 

They added two further scores between the 60th and 70th minutes, one converted by Robinson, to effectively secure a famous victory. First, Elmbridge Eagles’ forward Jake Cummins took advantage of some dozy Dragonhearts defending to dive over directly from a penalty two metres out, before Andy Prosser collected an offload from Callum Whitcombe to notch up his second try of the game. It was also Prosser’s third in two matches, making him Combined Southern Regions top scorer across their two autumn fixtures.

With three minutes remaining, the Dragonhearts finally managed an answer, Bridgend Blue Bulls centre Owen Thomas crossing over on the right, but it was little more than a consolation. As the final whistle went, a roar went up from the small band of travelling supporters. On only their second outing, the Combined Southern Regions had secured a famous victory.

Jamie Jones, head coach of Combined Southern Regions, said: “I am really proud of what we managed to achieve as a group in such a short space of time. Beating the Dragonhearts in Wales was always going to be tough, but we had a plan, stuck to it and it paid off.

“I’m particularly pleased that it was possible to provide so many players, especially younger members of the squad like Tyler Long, Matt Tootill and Will Randall, with an opportunity to play representative Rugby League. They and the other players are now part of a performance pathway that I hope will get stronger in coming years. Thanks to all that made the Combined Southern Regions games possible and I can’t wait to see how the performance pathway in the South develops in the years ahead.”

 

Match Facts:

Wales Dragonhearts - 16

Tries: Elli Evans (9 mins), Owen Evans (40), Owen Thomas (77)

Goals: Sean Waldeck 2 (from 3)

 

Combined Southern Regions - 30

Tries: Andy Prosser 2 (18, 70), Callum Whitcombe (23), David Bofenda (36), Tyler Johnson-Thomas (45), Jake Cummins (64)

Goals: Dan Robinson 3 (from 6)

 

Referee: James Jones

 

Player of the Match Awards:

Dragonhearts: Alan Pope (prop forward)

Combined Southern Regions: Doug Chirnside (hooker)

 

Wales Dragonhearts:

3. Brad Lewellyn (Tjornhill Trojans)

9. Ieuan Allen (Aberavon Fighting Irish)

20. Owen Thomas (Bridgend Blue Bulls)

22. Rhodri Roberts (Aberavon Fighting Irish)

12. Kurtis Haile (Bristol All Golds)

26. Sean Waldeck (Aberavon Fighting Irish)

5. Elli Evans (Aberavon Fighting Irish)

8. Alan Pope (Aberavon Fighting Irish)

18. Nathan Tucker (Cardiff Blue Dragons)

25. Ryan Price-Jones (Clock Face Miners)

17. Lloyd Allen (Aberavon Fighting Irish)

23. Rhys Evans (Aberavon Fighting Irish)

16. Llewellyn Hawkes (Bridgend Blue Bulls)

 

Interchanges

19. Owen Evans (Aberavon Fighting Irish)

11. Jonathan Reid (South Wales Jets)

6. Chadd George (Bridgend Blue Bulls)

13. Lewis Francis (Aberavon Fighting Irish)

14. Lewis Harris (Rhondda Outlaws)

15. Liam Evans (Aberavon Fighting Irish)

2. Ben Jackson (Aberavon Fighting Irish)

 

Combined Southern Regions

1. Callum Whitcombe (Brentwood Eels)

2. Louis Baker (Medway Dragons)

3. Dan Robinson (Telford Raiders)

15. Andy Prosser (Oxford Cavaliers)

5. David Bofenda (Eastern Rhinos)

6. Liam Fussell (Telford Raiders)

7. Luke Drummond (Elmbridge Eagles)

8. Jack Jonson (Nottingham Outlaws)

9. Doug Chirnside (London Chargers)

10. Euan Tiernan (Brentwood Eels)

18. Dom Aston (Elmbridge Eagles)

12. Tyler Johnson-Thomas (Wests Warriors)

13. Coryn Ward (captain, Nottingham Outlaws)

 

Interchanges

14. George Moore (Medway Dragons)

4. George Jackson (Wests Warriors)

16. Jake Cummins (Elmbridge Eagles)

17. Tyler Long (Hemel Stags)

11. Georgie Treffers (Brentwood Eels)

19. Matt Tootill (Bretwood Eels)

20. Will Randall (Eastern Rhinos)

 

Story by Matt Anniss (Combined Southern Regions Media Manager)